Final Breath

The water was red with blood as the young male bottlenose dolphin leapt out of the water, desperate to salvage his life, to get another breath. He wasn’t one of those considered desirable for captive living, so in the eyes of the humans, he was good for nothing but his meat. The blade of the fisherman's weapon hadn't managed to hit its mark, and had not killed him instantly, but it didn't matter now, he was still dying. The water frothed as he peeked up above the crimson ripples, on all sides of him was the barrier of the infamous cove, and beyond was a pure blue sky and a dazzling sun. This was not the place he would expect to meet his end, it seemed like a paradise, but was, in reality, a living hell. He felt all the life draining from him, his tail barely able to propel him, his body growing ever weaker. He’d only been trying to escape the terrible sound the humans had forced upon him, that had tormented his sharp senses, but in doing so, he’d allowed himself to be herded here with no hope of escape. He forced his head above the water, catching sight of the fishermen driving their weapons into the others in the distance; some of the victims were this dolphin’s friends and family. The humans didn’t even flinch as the blades penetrated the animals’ flesh and the young dolphin watching had only one thought: Why are you doing this? The high-pitched cries of his family echoed around the young male as his head sank below the water again, and with his last bit of strength, he forced himself to the surface for a final breath before giving into his pain and drifting away into blackness.

This is happening right now in Japan. Dolphins are herded by use of a cruel sound weapon that messes with their senses, into a cove where the most desirable are captured to live a miserable life in captivity, and the others are slaughtered for meat. Dolphin meat actually contains high levels of mercury, and can cause terrible illness, but still it continues, and few have come to know about this horrific activity. The redness of the water, the suffering of these animals, and the heartless actions of these fisherman is not exaggerated, it is based on a documentary I watched last night. It is called ‘The Cove’ and anyone who wishes to know more about this and what they can do to stop it should go to ‘Animal Planet’ and watch it or buy it from their website. I was sickened by the things that were being done to these beautiful, intelligent creatures, and I want it stopped. So, here is a small, yet heartfelt, contribution: awareness. Don’t be afraid to get involved and tell others what is going on, these dolphins can’t speak for themselves, so if we don’t do something, who will?

Learn more about dolphin slaughter here [link]

Water brushes by Obsidian Dawn [link] . Converted to GIMP by Project-GimpBC.

Everything else is © me, so do not steal, trace, copy, or otherwise redistribute in any way. The message is so much better if you draw it yourself, make a picture from your heart and share it with others. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, it’s about the message you send. Thanks for your time, and thanks from the dolphins for caring.